Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-12-08

= -TOTTI
have been faithfully executed. beneficial sara-
tive measures have been adopted. proper rcgu.
lations have been put In force, and excellent
care and attention bestowed upon tho inmates
and pupils.
The recommendations contained in these re-
ports In regard 10 insurance aud other matters
will receive your careful consideration.
The state has no higher or more sacred duty
than tho maintenance CT this unfortunate class
Of her ciiizcnA
During the past fiscal year ending September
-, 1857, 40 Applications we're received al the
Eastern, Western. aud Southwestern Asyiums
for admission aud 3l7 were admitted.
All the UiOredinsane can be provided for as
as soon as Tie additions 10 The Central Asylum
are completed.
Ia the Eastern Asylum tho average number OF
patients for tho past fiscal year was f01; In the
Western Asylum on October lst there were 5.9;
IN the Southwestern lS9-the present capacity OF
this asylum Is $50: IN the Central Asylum the
daily average for the year was f7n.
Ihe number OF pupils al tho Deaf. Dumb and
Blind Institute f. 38.
The additional building 10 tho Central Asylum,
for which tho legislature Of 1885 appropriated
twenty two thousand five hundred dollars. will
be ready for use By the lst OF January next.
Two hundred more patients can then be provided
for. This will not only tako all the coiOred in
sane out Of the iails. hut relieve the asylum a
Us nyCr-CrOw1cd condition. The superintendent,
reports that tho Increase Of insanity 1monRst
the colOrcd rnco H. amazing end he fears "thas
IN two years herco there Will be from one hun
0Et1 dnu MY 10 Two hunlftQ cOlCftN lL1due
UnpTOyidod for
There seems to have been n most iniu1icious
uGe made Of tho 2J20 0O for the erection OF the
main building % the asylum. In statement
emb0dyiug the result OF a recent examination OF
the Juiiding, maze by competent nrchliecl ~
the request OF the president Oi the Board OF d.
reCtOr3. Is condition ~ manner Of construction
"a fully sot fOrih, and the fact disclosed that The
state - not in possession of such building as
her liberal appropriation for IL would seem u
justify. The foundation walls In many places
are cracked already. aud the bricks are OF such
Inferior mako and material tnGt they are being
crushed by the weight above.
AGRICULTURE.
There is no question which can be brought be-
fore tho Legislature ~ more importance 70 Vir-
ginia than The promotion Of her agricultural in
teresfs.
lthas been well salA that plca for the farnl-
cr3 is plea for tho state, and the great lumber
OF our citiz ns who are elglgcd I'm providing for
Themselves and their families a support from
tho soil should incline their representatives 10
the passage Of all laws which will advance the
Interests OF the farmers. Tho whole state viii
az once feel any vigorous increase in ifs agrtcul-
tural prosperity. The career for stOck-raising
md shcep-farrning in the future Is Nroal, but
the development Of the smaller industries and
grain-growius has not been attended in soIse
paris Of tho state with gratifying results.
The present faithful and onlcient Commits
siouer OF Agriculture is diligently striving 20
bring about Letter condition u things In bis
department. but the means OF accomplishing
that end are very limited. / recommend an IN
creased appropriation for the Department OF
Agriculture, tO be provided for either by tax
upon fertilizers or IN such other way as the Cen
oral Assembly may determine 70 be best.
I would als1 recommend that the COmnis-
sioner OF Agriculture be made n member (Cr-
oNcjo) OF the Board Of Visitors OF tho Virginia
a Agricultural and Mechanical College at Blacks
burg and bear the same relation 20 that college
n the Adjutant-Gcnera will DO n the Virginia
Military Institute after the lat OF January next.
would also recommendln this connection that
bureau Of immigration. labor. and statistics be
established as part of the Department OF Agh-
culture, fOr the Commissioner OF Agriculture
wcll SAYS: An active bureau Of immigration,
enlistiug the cooperation OF railroad authorities
and al organizations having for ther object tho
introduction Ct Immigrants into virginia, can 90
80 much for promoting the settlement OF her
waste lands. fostering manufactures, and cre-
ating markets.'
STATE PENITENTIART.
The State penitenuary, under the manage
Tent Of its Board Of Directors and its capable
superintendent. serves well rs purpose. The
number Of cOnvicts on the first Of this month
was 500, 100 being white ana go colorcd, or lSi
white males and i06 colored males. white To-
males and 81 coored females; sR OF them are
In prison, 1lj on the south Atlantic aud OHIO
railroad. Gn1 3S in Russell county.
There has not been much demand for convicts
20 work the public roads Of the Commonwealth
under laws already passed. Applications are nov
ana 1ltu luilf lOs lutU 10 NNIA iuN ltillDhuss
but In consequence Of such projected roads no.
being completed, and for other reasons in many
cases such applications are not further insisted
upon.
In this connection have the honor 70 recon-
mend that reiOrlnafOTy or Industrial SchOOi Dc
established, either separate aud detached from
the pententiagY or in connection herewith,
where youthful criminals can 20 cOnnned
without coming In contact with the older
and more hardened class Of offenders There
should be 4 wide discrimination in the
treatment Of a boy VINO II convicted per-
haps Of his nrs, offence against the law and
man who has prObed TO the bottom tho depths
OF crime. The punishment Of criminal youths
should have n reforma'Ory as well as punRr q
object, bus 10 IL Impossible u put iuto pracnce
reiOrmatory measures where the two classes OF
crininals come ia daily contact with each other.
In the penitCniiary AT this time there are ly1
criminals under the age OF ;wenty-one years.
! would recommend that law be passed
placing I'm this reiormaiOry school all criminals
under eighteen years OF age, and that the Gov
ernOr be empowered TO transfer from the peni-
tentiary 20 that ref0. matory school any other
criminals between the age OF eighteen and
tWenty-One where hope Is held ont that such IN
diligence would not be misused and there was
reasonable hope Of reclamation A system OF
this sort hns worked satisfactorily In several OF
the states. During Governor liOadly's admins
trntion in Ohio, OF eighty boys thus released
from the penitontiaTy and transferred TO the re-
fOrmatOry school, one became insane, six went
back 10 crime, aud seventy-three proved worthy
OF the indulgence granted them. To reclaim
from life Of crime even one young soul would
be a satisfactory work.
With the growing population OF the State tho
number Of criminals increase, and an enlarge
ment OF the present penitentiary "a already de-
maDded By the proposed separate arrange
meat for youthful criminals additional room
would be gained for the other classes Of malfac-
tors
have the honor also torecOmmend that sys-
tom OF monthly inspection OF all iails in the
ftg Ira
or such local O0ccr as the Judge OF the city or
county IN which said Jail may be located shall
designate and written report be made 10 said
Judge after each inspection, arc sucn report Do
spread upon the records
The penal aud charitable institutions Of the
state viii be inspected by the Governor or some
officer designated by him as often as he may
think proper and practicable. / have ALREADY
personally inspected most Cf these institutions,
and found their condition IA every respect most
crelitablc 10 their management.
VOLUNTEER TROOPS.
Since the lat OF January last the following
volunteer troops have been called out by the
clyil authorities 10 assist their officers IN pre-
serving the pence In thsir respective localities
namely:
On Jannayy llth Companies a and b, First
regiment, under command OF Major Bldgood. and
Inc state Guard Of rol0red troops, tho whole
being under the direction oi BTigailer,. .iene- "a.
Charles J. Anderson, were called ~ Newport
News at the request OK the judge OF warwick
county.
On August Goth the mayor of Petersburg called
upon r.. Z. Lee Battery. tie Petersburg Grnys,
aud the Petersburg Guards. the nrsl two being
white ard the last q cOlored company, 10 20 IN
readiness % assist him IN preserving the peace
there.
ON the 1Ith OF November the mayor of Poca-
hoytas Tazewel county, with the cooperation
@. ihe civil officers Of that county, requested
troops 20 preserve the peace in the mines. Inc
ritz Lee Troop, the Lyrchburg Artillery. aud
Lyuchburg Homo Guard were accordingly sent
O. that point
Tho promp- arrival OF the troops a, these
points and the sOldiery conduct OF both ofdcors
aud men ia q large degree prevented dis
turbance OF q peace their only mission was 10
preserve. "A well.regulaicd militia" is " ne
cessary 10 the security Of free state" and the
Commonwealth should be ready 20 promote the
efficiency aud discipline OF ner volunteer SOL
diery, who In tarn are over prompt with their
services In preserving law, peace, ana order
within her borders.
The volunteer militia numbering about S,OO
men, are better equipped, better armed, disci-
plined, and drilled than ever before IN the his
tory OF the state and can be depended upon IN
any emergency. IL Is seen that ayaiied myself
Of the services Of the cClOred rs well rs tho
white soldiers, and my confidence IN the per-
fOrmance Of their duty was not misplaced. Al
Newport News, in the midst OF threatened DIS
turbance Of the peace by their own race. the
company sent there was rusOlute aud frn.
whether on tho sentinel post or 10 company
front and was ever ready 20 obey with aiacrity
any order from the officer commanding.
At the national drill and encampmcnt IN
Washington in Nay, or In Philadelphia nc the
celebration OF the centennial OF the Ftaeral Con
stltutiOn IN Septeiaber last, or whether In the
procession at the laying OF the Cornerstone otthe
Ice monument IA October last, the good conduct
ouI sgidlnrfv behavior and military appcarllce